KARACHI: At least 16 journalists were killed and 47 injured in Pakistan during 2011, the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said in a report on Wednesday.

Among the 16 journalists, five journalists were allegedly abducted by agencies and their bullet riddled bodies were found dumped on the roadside. Five journalists were killed in bomb blasts while reporting and six were gunned down in target killings. One journalist remains missing after he was reportedly abducted by abduction by an unidentified person, the report said.

The security of journalists remains a big question in the eleven month of this year. No concrete steps have been taken to provide security by authorities or even media houses. The report also suggested that the attitude of media houses is more indifferent towards the safety of journalists as compared to the government. Journalists who are reporting in conflict zones are more vulnerable and exposed to law enforcement agencies, militant groups and other non-state actors.

A vast majority of journalists is under-paid. Some are only given ID cards from the media houses they work for, and have to manage their own earnings, AHRC said.

This year’s report has found that journalists have faced more insecurity and intolerance than in previous years.

The Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) claims that 10 journalists were killed in Balochistan this year and no investigation has been carried out. The BUJ, however, has not provided a list of the names of those killed.

About 35 working journalists, 10 cameramen, one photographer, two drivers and one satellite engineer working for the print media and television channels were injured during separate attacks. Some were thrashed by officials and others beaten by different groups. Three television channel officers were attacked. One was attacked on two different occasions, and one FM radio station office was also attacked. Two television channels were banned to stop their broadcasts.

Journalists killed in the past 11 months

Saleem Shahzad, Bureau Chief of the Asia Times Online, an online news agency based in Hong Kong

Wali Khan Babar, 29, a reporter of Geo News, was gunned down by unidentified armed men in Karachi on January 13.

Nasrullah Khan Afridi, a senior tribal journalist, died in May 2011 when his car blew up in a powerful bomb blast at Khyber Super Market, Peshawar.

Faisal Quereshi, 28, editor for the political news website London Post, was murdered at his residence. His body was discovered on October 7 this year, by his brother, Zahid, after family members found bloodstains outside the journalist’s house. Police reports described the body as showing signs of torture, with the throat slit.